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The Branding of Cities - Julia Winfield-Pfefferkorn PDF
The Branding of Cities - Julia Winfield-Pfefferkorn PDF
BRANDING
OF CITIES
MASTERS THESIS
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree in Master of Arts in Advertising Design
at the Graduate School of Syracuse University.
August 2005
by
Julia Winfield-Pfefferkorn
ABSTRACT
The objective of this thesis is to examine city brands. This includes cities with
a specific identity and those that do not possess one. To further research cities
that have been successful in branding themselves and to contrast those cities
that do not possess strong brands. This study also determines what cities need
to focus on in order to survive in the global economy, and the effects of glob-
alization on cities.
This study further explores what strong brands possess and what cities need
in order to brand themselves successfully. In defining city brands, the follow-
ing was included in the case studies: History, attractions, nickname, branding
efforts, demographics, economics and tourism, residents, visitors, the project-
ed city brand, and in the case of weaker cities, problems and suggested solu-
tions.
In order for a city to be a good brand, it must possess defining and distinctive
characteristics that can be readily identified. These are functional as well as
non-functional qualities. These include city appearance, people’s experience of
the city, people’s belief in the city, what the city stands for, and what kind of
people inhabit the city.
Well branded case studies were New York, Paris, and San Francisco.
Abtract
Poorly branded case studies were Rochester and Berlin.
Charlotte was a case study of an up-and-coming city still developing a brand.
The successful cities: New York, Paris, and San Francisco – had the qualities
that strong brands do, and marketed their history, quality of place, lifestyle,
culture, diversity, and formed cooperative partnerships between city munici-
palities and government in order to enhance their infrastructure. They were
proactive in their approach.
The weaker cities currently in need of a re-brand: Rochester and Berlin – had
confusing non-distinctive brands, economic problems, and in some cases,
negative history. Their brands were not identifiable and lacked awareness.
There is also evidence that The Creative Class has become a force to be reck-
oned with, one that cities need to avoid overlooking. Richard Florida, a
Carnegie Mellon University economist, considered an expert in city trends
and forecasting, coined the term when he wrote a book in 2002 called “The
Rise of the Creative Class.” What this book and many other sources have writ-
ten about since it was published is the ‘idea’ worker. Florida’s definition of the
‘idea worker’ or ‘creative class’ is people in science, engineering, architecture,
education, arts, music, and entertainment, whose economic function is to create
new ideas, new technology, and/or new creative content.
Abstract
have a highly educated and open minded city population. This class has an
important role in city branding.
Municipal Marketing was also explored, as one of the solutions for assisting in
city debt, promotions, and balancing municipal budgets.
Abstract
Table of Contents
Functionality 19
Added Value 21
Sources of Added Value 23
Integration 27
C h a pt e r Thr e e : N e w Yo rk . A C a s e S t u dy . 29
History 29
Attractions 31
5
Nickname 31
Branding Efforts 33 5
Demographics 33
Economics and Tourism 35
Economic Impact of September 11th 35
People: Residents and Visitors 36
The Projected City Brand 37
C h a p t e r F ou r . P a r i s . A C a s e S t u d y. 39
History 41
Attractions 43
Nickname 44
Branding Efforts 44
Demographics 45
Economics and Tourism 46
Conclusion 133
Appendix A........................Interview with Dr. Jose Gamez, PhD, Architecture.................... 142
Professor, University of North Carolina, Charlotte.
chapter one introduction
The objective of this thesis is to determine the effects of branding cities. This
study will explore cities as brands and branding a city properly. Good branding
can assist in making cities desirable, just as bad branding can assist in making
cities undesirable. While some cities have prospered over the years, others
have suffered. In what way does the city brand make a difference? A city
must have good qualities in order to brand itself successfully, but a myriad of
government are one of the key factors in determining the branding potential of
that have positive brand images and continue to experience brand success;
two cities that have poor images and are struggling to re-create a positive brand,
and a newly developing city that does not possess a brand image. The Creative
Class and Municipal Marketing are also explored as new methods being utilized
There are reasons why people choose particular cities in which to live. Certain
cities are making comebacks even when the industries they were built on have
become obsolete. Brands evolve, and cities that survive have managed to
evolve. Progress and technology have become both friend and foe. If you
doubt that a new market for city brands is emerging, consider the loyalty a
city can command. Strategists and planners are working at a feverish pace to
re-brand cities or to brand a city that’s never had a strong brand in order to
create a community where people will want to live. City planners are spend-
ing millions of dollars in brand investing to bring their cities to life, or in some 9
instances, back to life. Volume breeds mediocrity, and the sheer scale of
today's cities prevents them from excellence in all but pockets, quarters, and
precincts. 1
San Francisco Golden Gate at Sunset, Sausalito, New York City Street, Place de la Concorde, Paris.
The way that brands work for a city is how these qualities are projected: by word-
of-mouth, public relations, and in some cases, advertising. These attributes must
be based on something substantial. The city must be “live-able”. There must be
an attraction to individuals. 10
part because of globalization and technology. Society now has the choice of
living in one place and working in another because of the Internet, laptops,
home offices, and wireless connections. Living in one place but working for
ity. Living in one particular city if you want to succeed in a certain industry
still exists, but is starting to erode. People now have the option of being able
to do business anywhere in the world and can decide what is best location-
wise to provide them with the most benefits. Cities are also giving way to for-
a means to keep them alive. To combat this, they need to brand themselves
and other attractions can thrive. For many cities, this could be their last
GLOBALIZATION
Globalization has made it easier for newly developing cities to compete with
older more established cities, simply because people can live and work
almost anywhere now. The impact of September 11th and many disasters
since this have forced people to look closer at quality of life. The popular say-
ing in the 1980’s that indicated people wanted to ‘have it all’ has now evolved
into people that have simply ‘had it’. Contributing to this shift in people’s
attitudes translates into what people really want out of a location or place,
and what offers the best quality of life, not just the best salary. In reaction to 11
this shift, ‘non-traditional’ cities are attracting good restaurants, sports fran-
domain of the ‘traditional’ or ‘larger’ cities. Some strategists argue that cities
are what they are not because of location or attractions, but because of the
ideas the people that live there create for them. This is true in part, but
different views on how cities should be branded. City Planners think they
understand their “city brand”, but more often it is an enigma. Planners discov-
er they cannot really define their city brand, but few are willing to admit it; and
if you can’t define your own brand, no one else is likely to either.
name and promise of authenticity – began about 200 years ago, when Josiah
Wedgwood realized that stamping his name on his pottery and naming his
1930s when Procter & Gamble's Neil McElroy, the company's promotion
department manager, developed the "P&G brand management system," an
By the 1970s and '80s, "brand manager" was a coveted job title for the typical
not just to products but to the retailers that sell them, with names like 12
Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works. "What has happened since the turn
State University. "It was inevitable that the people who market cities would
turn to a concept that has been so productive and successful for others." 2
Cities are competing for people’s lifestyles, and in order to do this successful-
ly they need to maintain a strong brand. Dying cities are weak in these areas.
For instance, if a city possesses a bad brand image, it is difficult to shake that
perception and change public opinion about the city. Bruce Katz, director of
TOURISM
rate of 4.3 percent a year. In 2000, the rate was 7.4 percent. That year travel
and tourism generated directly and indirectly 11.7 percent of global GDP
(Gross Domestic Product) and nearly 200 million jobs. By 2020, the number
tourism grossing more than US$2 trillion. This is big news for cities every-
4
where. Tourism creates jobs in hotels, restaurants, consulting, transportation 13
Intangible benefits also are associated with the fact that investors prefer to go
to a country or a city with which they are familiar. While some cities have
reportedly yielded good returns, many were hit particularly hard by the eco-
nomic fall-out from September 11, the subsequent War in Iraq, and the SARS
Charles Wrench, Landor UK's managing director. "Anything for which you
Creating a distinctive brand that captures the spirit of a city must be able to
inspire – the travelers, the industry and the general populace itself.
city to city as well as country to country. Branding of cities has to be very spe-
cific about what it wants to sell and to whom, yet also has to appeal to
This is the ultimate challenge in city branding. Many cities may have more
These cities simply may not be affordable for middle class individuals, such
as New York or Paris, but are rich in culture, history, and attractions that
The structure of this report will focus on what successfully branded cities 14
have done to brand themselves and compare, contrast, and offer insights to
cities with indifferent brands or those in need of re-branding. This report will
be examining the cases of cities which brand themselves well, and those
ing that strong and effective branding has become essential to the success of
a city. Cities are seeking new ways to promote their individual personalities
residents and visitors who reap monetary rewards for the city.
Cities developing brand images successfully are following the lead of corporations.
They attempt to establish a target market and a client base they hope will
Brisbane Institute Director Peter Spearritt states, “Cities should try and pro-
mote themselves in ways that their residents find believable.” 6 When brand-
ing a city, the personality of the people who live there needs to be an essen-
tial part of the brand, and if people are promoting the city from within, the
COMMUNITY
ing the new world. The anxiety created by September 11th has given way to
longer afford to lock ourselves in our homes and ignore our communities.
make the weak cities better places to live in and to visit. This is an essential
part of the new world order. We are seeking re-connection through a new
Historically, decreasing the gap between rich and poor and increasing under-
standing of diversity breeds open minds, which in turn spark new ideas. If we
make the communities in our cities good places to live, people see individ-
ual benefits, leading to the personal satisfaction that assists in creating posi-
MUNICIPAL MARKETING
sorship in order to gain a profit, has a new role in city branding. It has become 16
sy and criticism of city planners because cities are sometimes seen as operating
to make a profit. However, the reality is this trend is being driven by city officials
raise money, but ironically residents are the ones who stand to benefit most. Part
of the popularity of Municipal Marketing stems from cities wasting time and
they are not branding themselves properly, they are seeking alternative ways to
make money.
Winter 2003 p 39
5. Ibid.
6. Spearritt, Peter. “Marketing Cities: Icons, Brands, and Slogans.” Brisbane Institute.
7. Smith, Jay Walker. “More In Common.” Smart City. City View. May 3, 2003.
2/29/04.<http://www.colettaandcompany.com/public/4_3_5cityviews.cfm?showsmartcityID-
118>.
8. Copeland, Larry. “Cities In Need Selling Themselves. For Sale: Your City.”
USA Today. June 9, 2003. p B02.
9. Ibid.
Brands have become much more than the products or services they sell. A
true brand fulfills the real or perceived needs of customers. It isn't just a look
but a personality that triggers a response within the minds of customers and
success listens closely to customers' wants and needs and observes the
times it’s difficult to define personality and the city brand often becomes con-
fused or muddied in the process. This confusion causes the brand to be for- 19
gotten. The following traits are characteristics of strong brands that cities
FUNCTIONALITY
In order for a brand to be strong it must be functional. Functionally
which prompt the consumer to buy one brand over another (we hope
is added value.
20
functions, and does it distinctively. Not every city has the employ-
individual does not need a car to get around in New York because all
Together city planners and marketers discussed what to do with the deso-
looking to revive beautiful but neglected areas. 4 What Baltimore did was
to focus on the functionality of the harbor and what it had. The harbor
was too shallow for the newer container ships, yet still an inspiring place,
so city planners opened a Science Center, The National Aquarium (the first 21
urban one of its kind), and Harborplace (first of the downtown festival mar-
since these distinctive attractions at the harbor were the only ones of their
kind in the region. Luck was also involved. In 1976, the science center was
the harbor to see the ships for the celebration. Once they saw how much it
had changed they liked it and came back again and again. This promoted
ADDED VALUE
Not all products are brands. Real brands provide not only function-
behind a brand, we want some personal benefit to come out of our associa-
tion with it. If we perceive an added value or benefit, then a good relation-
ship will develop. These added values are normally non-functional. These
come from our experience with the brand, what kind of people use the
brand, whether or not we believe the brand to be effective, and the appear-
ance of the brand. A strong brand must possess these qualities in order for
said than done, but this is what strong brands are built on: functionality and
added value. Some of this is logical, but most of it is not. It’s emotional and sub-
conscious.6 Added value translates into loyalty, and this loyalty is key in deter-
mining the success of the brand. If there is added value or perceived added
Take Nike, an undisputed leader as one of the world’s greatest brands. Nike
did not invent sneakers. Nike competed for attention. The Nike brand is not
about sneakers or athletic wear or any other product they sell anymore. It’s
far deeper than that – it’s what the organization stands for and the fact that
the brand has added value. Originally people bought Nike products for their
functional properties, but became committed and loyal to the Nike brand
sonal link to the best athletes in the world. While consciously we know we
the best we can be when we ‘just do it’ (as the tagline indicates). The per-
sonal connection and simplicity of the brand message adds value and differ-
If city brands are to succeed, they must possess functionality and added
value. For instance if we look at New York City. What is the functionality and
added value of the New York brand? Historically, New York had original
functional properties such as its harbor, surrounding farms, and its location.
Then there was its theater scene, restaurants, culture, attractions, reputation,
and diversity that contributed to its added value. From this standpoint, the 23
brand of New York has added value in comparison to other brands because it
is highly distinctive. It offers more than many other cities because people
with diverse backgrounds, interests and tastes can agree on this preference
Added Value can come in many forms, most of them non-functional and
emotional and not as quantifiable as the functional ones. Outlined below are
four of the added values that brands must have in order to succeed.
If people have a good experience with a city, they communicate this. On the
other hand if the experience is negative, the result is the opposite. Census
taking was not widespread before 1800, but since then the proportion of
the world’s population living in cities has been studied and reported with
fair accuracy, and between 1800 and 1950 the world urban population
increased from 2.4 to 20.9 percent. By 1990, the figure was about 43 percent.6
24
This is an important component of city branding. Take New York. When peo-
ple think of New York, the normal associations are a city that’s cosmopolitan
and rich. New York offers inhabitants and visitors everything one could demand
In order for a city to have a brand, it has to stand for something. San
Francisco, named the “City by the Bay”, has stood for industry, technology,
and culture. The rolling hills of California surrounding the city, boasting one
are just some of the firms that reside in San Francisco. Since the dot.com bust
The good news for San Francisco, however, is its diversity. This includes
Chinatown, Sausalito, Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Silicon Valley, the
Monterey and Carmel. There is a strong belief in the San Francisco brand
from many of the images that have defined San Francisco for the better part
th
of the 20 century. “A municipality is a product for everyone, but in order to 25
New York City stands for not only its cultural icons, but its financial
district and Wall Street, and has a strong presence of some of the
Sachs, Bear Sterns and Lehman Brothers. Wall Street and The New
York Stock Exchange are perhaps the most important elements in the
financial world there, and have always been key factors in New York’s
New York especially, but the economic consequences were felt in cities
or “safe” city caused many people to re-think whether or not New York
looks like and the physical characteristics it possesses are extremely important.
Atlanta are places filled with Lehman Brothers sign, New York
For example, the appearance of the city of Boston reinforces its reputation
Martha’s Vineyard also is a plus for Boston. While rich in history and archi-
tecture, Boston will not allow its historical gems to be bulldozed in order
to make room for commercial developers soliciting the highest price. This
that feel the need to sell out to developers in order to make a municipal
profit. We can rely on the Boston city brand to keep its history intact for
as the birthplace of the “melting pot” of the United States. What many
cohesiveness are often necessary and always look good on paper, but in order
for people to get excited about living somewhere there has to be diversity.
lifestyles are the ones that thrive in culture, the arts, science, and technology.
1. Levit, Mark. “Branding” Partners & Levit Advertising April 21 2003 4/29/04 p.12.
2. Ibid. P. 14
3. Jones, John Philip and Slater, Jan. “What’s in a Name? Advertising and the Concept of Brands.”
4. Spearitt, Peter. “Marketing Cities: Icons, Brands, and Slogans.” Brisbane Institute, June 12, 2002. p 6
5. Ibid.
<http://e-library.bigchalk.com/library web.>
7. Sorkin, Michael “Brand Aid” Harvard Design Magazine. Fall 2002/Winter 2003. Number 17. p 1+
28
9. Ibid
HISTORY
What we know today as New York City was first discovered in 1609 by the
Dutch as “New Amsterdam”. In 1626, in one of the most infamous and poorly
Manhattan from local Indians for a few dollars worth of beads and some ribbon.
to the north and south, friction with England was inevitable. In 1664, England’s
Charles II claimed all Dutch land and gave it to the Duke of York. At the time,
the Dutch were unwilling to fight England over colonial interests, so New
29
The roots of New York bring back the earliest economic factors and trade
issues. The “pull” of New York was originally centered around economic
interests, but evolved to include a litany of attractions. These include Central
Park, The Empire State Building, Greenwich Village, the MET, The Museum
NICKNAME
BRANDING EFFORTS
In 1970, the State of New York decided to promote tourism to help offset a
recession, and asked the Ad Agency Wells, Rich and Greene, and graphic
artist Milton Glaser to develop a campaign, and the “I Love NY” slogan was
created along with the campaign which is still one of the most recognized
32
I LOVE NEW YORK is the official State of New York slogan, and is still
DEMOGRAPHICS
New York has not always been successful attracting and maintaining a pop-
ulation base. This was especially true in the early 70’s through the mid-80’s
when riding the subway became a means of survival rather than a means of
transportation. Between 1970 and 1980, the city lost nearly 825,000 resi-
dents, by far the largest loss ever sustained over a 10 year period by a major
living. In 1984, there was the highly publicized case of Bernard Goetz, oth-
erwise known as the subway vigilante, who shot four young black men in the
New York Subway because they were trying to rob him. The Goetz case
when the city’s crime problem had reached epidemic proportions. The envi-
ronment of the city at that time, especially prevalent in the subway, was one
of complete disorder and daily violent crime. Since overcoming that disap-
pointing decade, however, the current perception of New York has been
much better. It has added 685,000 residents since 1990, which was the
largest percentage of immigration to any major city during that period; and
as of the 2000 census, the City of New York was home to 8 million residents.5
33
One of the reasons for this change in the population was due to the “Broken
Q. Wilson and George Kelling. Wilson and Kelling argued that crime (the
reason the population was moving out of New York City), was the inevitable
ken and left unrepaired, people walking by will conclude that no one cares
and no one is in charge. Soon, more windows will be broken, and the sense
of anarchy will spread from the building to the street, sending the signal that
‘anything goes’. This is the epidemic theory of crime. It says that crime is
was hired by the New York Transit Authority as a consultant, and he hired a
tion of the subway system. The larger questions of crime and subway relia-
which extended to the broken windows theory. The graffiti was symbolic of
the collapse of the system and the clean-up took from 1984 to 1990. During
that time the system painted over every part of the subway that possessed
graffiti, and every single train that came in with graffiti was painted over. The
goal was to never send out a train unless it was ‘clean’ and to send a message
to vandals that disorder would not be tolerated. The Transit Authority then
added William Bratton to head the transit police, and he cracked down on
in the past. When Rudy Giuliani was elected as mayor in 1994, he hired
Bratton to head the entire New York City Police Department. By cracking
down on quality of life crimes as they had done in the subway, New York
City saw a quick and dramatic fall in crime, contributing to the popula- 34
good template for other cities to follow in order to rebuild their bad brand
images.
in any city.
New York currently attracts 35 million visitors a year, but the goal for 2004
was 40 million; while also stimulating job growth.7 While it is widely unde-
veloped as a source of revenue for cities, Event Marketing is becoming a
visitors number. Statistics show that event sponsorships generate more than
$3.7 billion annually for the sponsors, while corresponding marketing pro-
grams represent an additional $10 billion.8 These types of statistics are stag-
gering when you consider the amount of money that could get cities out of
The impact of the attacks of September 11th is something that almost four
years later we are still only beginning to understand. Like many American
cities, New York has been in an economic recession since that tragic day. New
York was world renowned for was cut Tribute in Light; designed by a number of artists in
memoriam to the victims of September 11th.
short on this day. Although severely This was lit for only 32 days in September of 2003.
Gothamist, September 4, 2003.
rebuilding the business district and the city’s confidence in record time.
However, this was at huge economic cost. According to the New York City
Comptroller’s office, the economic cost to the city will total between $83 and
$95 billion once it has been completely rebuilt. The final figure will depend
in part on the number of jobs relocated out of the city. In all, the attacks
destroyed 13 million square feet of prime office space, equal to the entire
not think existed before.11 Rebuilding the sense of community in New York
was key during that tumultuous time, and vital in showing the rest of the
ple in debate and motivate them to contribute time People on City Street
New York, 2003
and money. New York has always had good success with its people giving
back to the city, and in light of the September 11th setback, this has been even
more prevalent. In a city with a reputation for toughness and egos, the brand of
New York is something that all New Yorkers can agree on.12 Each resident is a
potential. 13
New York is most likely the best-known city on the planet; but
the competition for New York is still very real. In 2003, Las Vegas, Tampa,
Atlanta, and Kansas City had more aggressive marketing machines in place
than New York. Christyne L. Nicholas, president of New York’s tourism office
NYC & Company, told the New York Times “What we’ve learned with tourism
is that there are other cities competing for our business. They have bigger
budgets and better means to compete. I don’t think we can take this lightly.”14
37
The competition for New York is real, so you are not likely to see New York
1. Roberts, Sam. “The New Born City, Seen from Above” The Big Picture. NYC 100. The New
York Times archives on the web. April 6, 2004 <http://www.nytimes.com/specials/nyc100/nyc100map.htm>.
2. Ibid.
3. Cohen, Gerald Leonard. Why is New York City called “The Big Apple?” The Encyclopedia of New York
City Library Web Home Page. 4/6/04. <http://www. columbia.edu/cu/lweb/eguides/amerihist/nyc.html>.
5. Thompson, William C. Jr. Comptroller of New York c/o Pfefferkorn, John. Appraisal for New
York City Demographics “One Year Later” the Fiscal Impact of 9/11 on New York City.
9/4/2002. courtesy of Deutschebank Mortgage Captial, LLC.
6. Gladwell, Malcom. “The Tipping Point” - How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.
(Little, Brown and Company, 2002) p.141-147
8. Johnson, Mark. “Sponsorships offer image, budget boosts”. How event marketing can help
municipalities develop needed sources of revenue for infrastructure development. American
City and County. 09-01-1994 p.12
9. Thompson, William C. Jr. Comptroller of New York, c/o Pfefferkorn, John. Appraisal for New
York City Demographics “One Year Later” the Fiscal Impact of 9/11 on New York City.
10. Ibid.
11. Stohr, Kate. “I Sell New York”. The Gotham Gazette. March 17, 2003.
4/6/04.<http:www/gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20030315/200/312>.
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid
HISTORY
For generations of sophisticated urbanites, Paris has been the city against
which all others are measured. 1 Paris has a history few cities can claim. In
250 B.C, people discovered the area now known as Paris, which they referred
to as Loukteih (Celtic for ‘a marsh’), during the second Iron Age. Paris is
world-famous for its beauty and charm, and for its long history as a center of
Denis, who was later executed by the Romans at Montmartre. From 280 A.D,
when the city was raided by barbarians, up until 1940 when Hitler and the
Nazis invaded, many fought over Paris, claiming her as their own. She was
finally liberated in 1944 by the Allies during World War II and remains a
39
Paris was originally built on a series of axes and was structured around the
cross made by the east to west axis of the Rue de Rivoli and by the north-
Fountain near Place De La Concorde, Arc de Triomphe, Interior of Notre Dame, Rose Window, Notre Dame.
with cobbled streets and pavements of gray asphalt and urban furniture grids
around the trees, lamp posts and sewer plates corresponded to models
defined by the administration and unified public space. What made the axes
project most original, however, was the foresight of the development and
Paris has a tumultuous history, and during her growth some of the most
For years now people have wondered why Parisians are wary of out-
siders. Based on the city’s turbulent history, and its record of invasions by for-
eigners of every kind, it is no wonder. Despite this, however, Paris has never
failed to fight adversity. “Fluctuat nec mergitur”, Latin for “she is buffeted by the
42
waves but she does not sink”, has been the city’s proud motto for over four cen-
ATTRACTIONS
city known for its sublime beauty and style. One fifth of Paris is parkland.
In addition to parks, there are cathedrals, palaces, pinched quarters, and ele-
gant squares.3 The past traditions which made the city famous in its archi-
today. The cultural and architectural attractions are many. These include the
Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Ste-Chapelle, Sacre Coeur,
The Louvre, The Opera, The Hotel des Invalides (once an Army Hospital,
million, with about 9.6 of this being metropolitan, Eiffel Tower near the Seine.
the amount of attractions and culture that Paris offers in such a dense area
are many. 5
No other city in the world has managed to preserved its original architecture
like Paris has, especially during war time. This is partly due to the fact that
some foreign invaders did not have the heart to destroy Paris. During World
War II, German General Dietrich von Choltitz risked his life and his family
by lying to Hitler, telling him the destruction of the city had already begun
per his orders. Choltitz was determined to abort the attack not only because
of its barbarity but also since it targeted a large area thick with his troops, and
NICKNAME
its beautiful appearance. It is acknowledged all The Allies liberate Paris, 1944
city life to almost an art form. Since gaining this title, Paris has
Approximately 155 monuments are lit each evening, along with 11,000
street lights. 7 Paris keeps its brand promise to us as a city of beauty and 44
light, and this is reinforced not only by the Parisians but by the phys-
BRANDING EFFORTS
Most cities do not have the branding advantages that Paris has, blessed with
classy architecture and a fascinating history. But Paris remains the hub of
marily for its fashion industry and for the manufacturing of luxury articles.8
Book printing and publishing are also major activities in central Paris.
Heavier industries are situated in the suburbs. Tourism, however, is by far the
tions. For this reason, tourism brands Paris quite well. As far as ‘branding
efforts’ go, Paris is in the running for a bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics,
and after being passed over for 2008, the French have learned from their mis-
takes. Instead of spreading sporting venues around the city, they’ve concen-
trated on two poles of activity that together would host 75 percent of events.
Olympic Village inside the city limits, so Proposed Logo for 2012 Olympics.
that the athletes can enjoy the City of Lights.9 Paris has such a powerful
brand it does not need to spend as much in branding efforts as other cities
do. Location Branding alone manages to promote Paris quite well, and her
proximity to the rest of Europe and the ease of which one can travel in and
DEMOGRAPHICS
Paris is the center of France, more so than any other country, both eco-
as their focal point. While most countries are ‘stitched together’, Paris unites
Paris is the number one tourist city in the world. In 2002, over 76 million
visitors came to France. Six attractions in Paris alone draw 23.5 million visitors
yearly. At the Paris Guide on Yahoo! Travel, we learned that the three most
popular tourist attractions are Disneyland Paris (12 million visitors last year),
The Eiffel Tower (5.5 million), and The Louvre (5 million). Paris and its sur-
ly 10.5 million people. Just over two million of those live in Paris proper.11
46
The Parisians have a reputation of being elite, but historically this has been
from the view of foreign visitors. Because the visitors who wrote the mem-
oirs or travel guides were wealthy, the people they associated with during
their visits in Paris were of the same social stature. Therefore, when visitors
spoke of the Parisians, they were normally referring to the people of the
upper classes. These social circles frequented salons, soirees, the opera,
shops, and the famous Parisian gardens. Hence, many past descriptions of
the Parisians showed little emphasis on the lower classes that inhabited the
city, and this holds true to an extent today. The Parisians often speak of Paris
like it is the apple of their eye; simply because it is. They are aware of their
stature and importance to the rest of the world, and because they see them-
Paris is perhaps one of the most powerful city brands of its kind and the
future of Paris should continue to be as bright as her lights. Despite the many
setbacks that have occurred over thousands of years such as war, political
landscape, and economy, Paris has held her own, and continues to possess
These qualities make her one of the most highly distinctive city brands in the
world. In this way and many others, City Planners could stand to learn
many branding lessons from the City of Lights.
47
4. Ibid.
5. “Paris” World Encyclopedia. Phillip’s 2004. Oxford Reference Guide. Oxford University
Press. p. 175
10. discoverfrance.net/France/Paris/index.shtml
11. archrecord.construction.com/news/olympics2012/paris.asp
HISTORY
The earliest documented history of San Francisco starts around 1542, when
European discovery and exploration of the San Francisco Bay Area began.
However, 10-20,000 years prior to this, Native Americans had inhabited the
area between Point Sur and the San Francisco Bay and were referred to by the
Upon the discovery of this area now known as the Bay Area, mapping began
in 1775. In 1776, A Spanish party led by Juan Bautista de Anza arrived and
established sites for the Presidio (originally a mission site), and Mission San
Francisco de Asis (named for Saint Francis of Assisi and now known as
“Mission Dolores”). The area first began to develop as a city known as Yerba
Richardson, an English Whaler. Yerba Buena remained a small town until the
Mexican American war in 1846, and was then taken over by a naval force
under Commodore John D. Sloat, and in the name of the United States was
The California Gold Rush started in 1848 and led to considerable immigra-
tion into San Francisco and the surrounding areas. During this time, San
Francisco Bay became one of the world’s greatest seaports, dominating ship-
ping and transportation in the American West. Between January 1848 and
25,000.1 The Chinatown district of the city is still one of the largest and has
Many businesses started to service the city during this time such as Levi
Strauss, Ghirardelli Chocolate and Wells Fargo bank, and still exist there today.
Like many cities, the political situation in early San Francisco was chaotic.
Military government was present to clean the city of crime and corruption,
and soon San Francisco became the largest city west of the Mississippi River.
In 1900 a ship from China brought rats infected with bubonic plague, and the
area known as Chinatown was quarantined until the outbreak was finally
eradicated in 1905.
52
The historic earthquake, which occurred on April 18, 1906, has been esti-
mated by modern scientists to have been an 8.25 on the richter scale. The
fires that followed brought the city to its knees, and destroyed the vast major-
ity of buildings in the city. However, San Francisco rebuilt and in 1915 the
of the Panama Canal, but also to showcase the vibrant and completely rebuilt
city. From then on, progress and expansion were priorities to San Francisco,
Images of the devastating effects of the historic earthquake of 1906, San Francisco.
1937. The Golden Gate, the most recognized landmark in San Francisco and
declared one of the modern Wonders of the World, was for many years the
largest and the tallest suspension bridge in the world. Since 1964, however,
several other bridges have been built that are longer and more recently taller.
ATTRACTIONS
Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf, and many muse- Boats in the harbor, Sausalito
attractions such as Muir Woods, Half Moon Bay, Silicon Valley, Napa Valley, 53
Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma. Santa
Cruz is sometimes considered a member of the Bay Area as well. Three large
cities dominate the area including San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose.
However, when most people refer to ‘the city’, they are talking about San
Francisco since it is the most densely populated and is much more metropol-
‘underground’ movements in Paris and New York, but San Francisco’s count-
er-cultural movement came much later. Like the bohemian salons in Paris
around the turn of the century, and the roaring 20’s speakeasy’s during pro-
hibition in New York City, San Francisco experienced her own cultural ren- 54
ence known as ‘hippies’, ‘punks’, and ‘mods’. Liberal cities such as San
Francisco turned exotic as ‘freaks’ and ‘ethnics’ created a hip cultural ren-
In the 1960’s and 70’s large numbers of gay people moved to San Francisco,
not only because of its gay-friendly reputation, but for its reputation as a rad-
and today the gay population is estimated to be at about 15%, and gays
remain an important force in the city’s politics. During the 1980’s, homeless
people began appearing in large numbers around the city, in part because of
the climate and the generous welfare policies. Mayor Art Agnos (1988-92),
was the first to attempt to combat this problem. Since then, there have been
both lenient and aggressive police actions and policies to try to solve the
homeless problem. Most recently Gavin Newsom helped to enact a “Care Not
replaced by vouchers for housing. This is a problem that is real for San
55
NICKNAME
Technically there are many rivers that flow into the Map of the San Francisco Bay
bay, which include the San Pablo bay, which connects to San Francisco Bay,
but the group of interconnected bays are often referred to as ‘The San
Francisco Bay’. Hence the name “The City by the Bay’.
remind busy consumers that they exist. They have to find new ways to main-
tain their brand awareness in the consumer population, and that’s leading
lot of branding advantages, but since its dot.com bust and the added econom-
ic consequences of September 11th, San Francisco has suffered like many other
cities.
In June of 2004, the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau launched
ing agency that came up with the tagline “Only in San Francisco” to try re-
establish a new and improved brand identity. The main point was to enhance
more than $1.2 million in local advertising space and time to the campaign.
San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom states “It’s time for a little optimism in
not only on history but on where we are, where we are going, and what the
city really represents and is truly about. Only in San Francisco do you have
people from all over the world that are focused on their common humanity”. 5
Whether this is one person’s optimism, truth, or simply perception remains
However, there is no argument that San Francisco has many brand advan-
tages. Diane DeRose, San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau Vice
President of Marketing states: “It’s a place unique from the ground up
Cities, however, are aiming for attracting more than just visitors. Allen 57
based in New York states: “There has been a shift in how cities are thinking
about themselves... they’re more aware that they have certain assets, and if
come to them, they stand to benefit more”.7 In this way, it appears that the
strategy behind branding a city is being handled in the same way agen-
Tourism is one of San Francisco’s largest industries and the largest employer
of city residents. In 2000, more than 17 million people visited San Francisco
system and the famous Cable Cars. BART, which stands for Bay Area Rapid
Transit, connects San Francisco with the East Bay and San Mateo County
service called Caltrain operates between the city and San Jose and Gilroy,
ally.
residents and locals that are ready and will- Boats near Sausalito
59
time of year, strongly influenced by the cool currents of the Pacific. The air is
mate. This is characterized by cool foggy summers and relatively warm win-
ters, so snow is virtually unheard of. There is a short rainy season in the win-
ter with mixed fog, but temperatures still tend to be mild and above freezing.
San Francisco is home to many art galleries including the well known
Golden Gate Park, and The Presidio provide a getaway not only for tourists
rants, homes, streets, and architecture are famous. The history of Alcatraz
(the once famous prison turned tourist attraction) brings people from around the
world to the edge of the wharf and to the City by the Bay to see this and
60
San Francisco has a powerful city brand, due to all the aforementioned
2. Ibid.
3. Anderson, Terry The Movement and The Sixties. Anderson, 1995, p.357
4. Rauch, Maggie. “City Smarts. Destinations Test the Power of Promotions”. Incentive
<http://www.incentivemag.com/incentive/search/article_display.jsp
5. Press Release. June 22, 2004. “Only In San Francisco” campaign launched by San Francisco
Convention and Visitors Bureau. San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau. © 2004.
61
6. HotelOnLine Special Report. San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau Rebrands itself
“Only in San Francisco”. June 24, 2004. San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau. ©
2004.
Infoplease. © 2000-2005
9. <http://www.elibrary. en.wikipedia.prg/wiki/San_Francisco.#Demographics
HISTORY
Following the American Revolution, the area known as Western New York was
opened up by the Treaty of Hartford [1786]. The treaty stated that while New
York would have sovereignty over the land, Massachusetts would have pre-
emptive rights to obtain title from the Indians. In 1788, the entire
Massachusetts pre-emptive right was sold. This included all land west of a line
running from the mouth of the Sodus Bay on Lake Ontario due south through
Seneca Lake, to the 82nd milestone on the Pennsylvania border near Big Flats,
to the Niagara River and Lake Erie. This extinguished all Indian titles in the area
and paved the way for the cities now known as Syracuse, Rochester, and
1
Buffalo, New York.
In 1811, the Colonel Nathaniel Rochester, Major Charles Carroll, and William 62
Fitzhugh, all of Hagerstown, Maryland, purchased the 100 Acre Tract which
would later be known as Rochester, New York. The population was 15. They had
the tract surveyed and laid out with streets and lots. In 1817 other land owners
joined their lands to form the Village of Rochesterville, with a population of 700.
In 1823, the 100 acre tract was annexed, bringing Rochesterville to 1012 acres
and a population of 2,500. The same year, the ‘ville’ was dropped from the city’s
was built primarily to open the country Erie Canal Barge pulled by mules
to carry produce to market. When finally completed, it was considered the engi-
neering marvel of its day. It included 18 aqueducts to carry the canal over ravines
and rivers, and 83 locks, with a rise of 568 feet from the Hudson River to Lake
or "hoggee".2
An early depiction of the Erie Canal.
In order to keep pace with the growing demands of traffic, the Erie Canal was
enlarged between 1836 and 1862 to a width of 70 feet and a depth of 7 feet, and 65
the number of locks was reduced to 72. This made it possible to move larger
Once the Erie Canal east to the Hudson river opened in 1823, the economy and
population growth took off. By 1830 the population had reached 9,200 and the
city became the original boomtown first known as “The Young Lion of the
West.” It quickly, however, became known as the Flour City as the first ten days
the canal was open, 40,000 barrels of Rochester flour were shipped to Albany
and New York City. Although the population in 1830 was only 9,207, Rochester
war, numerous locations in the Rochester area were used as An early depiction of
Underground Railroad
‘safe-houses’ to shelter slaves for transport to Canada. This activists.
162,800. During this time the city expanded dramatically in area on both sides
of the Genesee River. Also founded during this period were Bausch and Lomb,
Eastman Kodak, French and Co, Western Union, and Gleason Works.
Industries that developed during this time were clothing and shoe manufactur-
66
ing, brewing, and machine tools.
which later merged with Rochester Athenaeum and each year the Institute grad-
Rochester’s great public parks were laid out as well. The turn of the century
found Rochester to be a thriving and comfortable city, and during WWII the
city became a significant industrial contributor to the War effort. The surround-
ing farms supplied food not only for the troops but also the homefront. 4
Permutit. Today Rochester still has the world headquarters of Kodak and
Bausch and Lomb. Xerox is no longer headquartered in Rochester, but still has
Freeman still reside in Rochester. Education is also a primary industry with over
Music. Within an hour’s drive you will find Alfred University, (State University
ATTRACTIONS
Rochester is known for its extensive park system, including the Highland
Maplewood Park, Edgerton Park, Seneca Park, Ellison Park, and Ontario Beach
International Jazz Festival, the Corn Hill Festival, the High Falls Film Festival,
the Clothesline Art Festival, the Park Avenue Merchants Festival, the Lilac 68
Festival at Highland Park, The Rochester Music Festival, and the Cold Rush
Winter Celebration.
NICKNAME
In 1838 Rochester was the largest flour-producing city in the world, hence the
name “flour city”. In 1850 the Ellwanger & Barry Nursery Company and sever-
al seed companies in Rochester grew to be the largest in the world, so its nick-
name changed from the ‘flour city’ to the ‘flower city’. To this day,
Rochester, New York as ‘the’ Rochester since it is the largest city called
Rochester. 6
BRANDING EFFORTS
With the decline of its major industries and jobs beginning to leave the
area, Rochester addressed its branding image in the late ‘70’s. A joint
efforts in attempts to brand their cities and revitalize business and res-
Competition at home from the Sun Belt and the Silicon Valley also
took its toll on a city whose climate still produced nearly one-half a
Since that time, however, Rochester has seen some positive signs of revi-
70
DEMOGRAPHICS
In the 2000 census, the City of Rochester Metro area had a population of
219,773, making it the third largest city in New York State, behind New York
and Buffalo. For all of these brand advantages, however, Rochester appears to
have a weak brand image and has been struggling for the better part of the past
In the 1970’s, between Kodak, Xerox, and the electric and phone companies,
Many of the manufacturing jobs that Xerox and Kodak once based in Rochester
have moved to Mexico for economic reasons. In recent years foreign competi-
The racial makeup of the metro area of the city of Rochester is the fol-
48% White
2% Asian
The city presently has 537 miles (864 km) of public streets, 585 miles
retain a small town feel. The quality of life is high, with affordable
PROBLEMS
Places such as New York, Chicago, LA, or Boston are stable urban envi-
social consequences, and little policy effort that addresses these huge
changes. 10 72
The Rust Belt, also known as the Manufacturing Belt, is an area in the
machinery left over from the industrial production days; the rusting
in third world countries and import them into the United States.
that downturn and in the ones that followed, manufacturing jobs dis-
In recent years, the big city populations in the Rust Belt are decreas-
large percentage of new growth in the Sun Belt. People began to choose
NorthEast are often called the Frost Belt or the Snow Belt as a way to
print, but they are simply not large enough to support both the sub-
urbs as well as the center city. Rochester does have a good mix of ‘color
collars’, however, and supports many white collar as well as blue col-
lar workers.
ECONOMICS
When Midtown Plaza opened in the early 1960s in the downtown area,
it was among the country's first urban shopping malls. Office workers
would come by every day at lunchtime to eat or stroll. But over the
two-thirds of the labor force, and the jobs they provided were highly
skilled and paid well. But as the companies' fortunes have fallen, many
At the same time, many outlying towns have boomed. Greater Rochester
since Rochester doesn’t have much to offer in the center city itself, peo-
ple look for employment nearer to where they live or on the outskirts.
TOURISM
Sunday in May to see the lilacs. Ten years later, the number had grown
areas within a day’s drive. These same ‘regional tourists’ are attracted
There is also the new Rochester to Tornoto Ferry. The Ferry is official-
ly called the Spirit of Ontario. Its nickname is ‘The Cat’.The Ferry has
been designed as an exciting new way to travel and will provide a safe,
use the Rochester Toronto Ferry as a shortcut The Rochester to Toronto Ferry
ments, businesses, and cultures. More importantly, the trip will act as
and the United States, and also will serve as a catalyst for the two
Rochester has a fair brand image at best and has learned some hard lessons in
the past 20 years, but is now focused on looking forward. One of her main 77
goals is to attract new business. Realizing she can no longer rely on the tradi-
tional industries that built her in order to survive, she must find alternate ways
Rochester was built on many futuristic ideals from famous residents such as
Rochester has recognized and identified her problems, she must focus on
kind of economic future, and successfully attract people back to the flower city,
<http://www.elibrary.en.wikipedia.prg/wiki/Rochesteren.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochester%2C_New_York#Education.2
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6.<http://www.ci.rochester.ny.us/mayor/r2010/c_about2010.cfm?CFID=434188&CFTOKEN=78595094
9. Ibid.
11. Ibid
13. <http:// lilac festival.com. Google. Keyword: Lilac Festival. 16 May 2005.
HISTORY
Berlin itself is one of Europe's younger cities, with its origin in the 12th centu-
ry. The city developed out of two settlements, Berlin and Cölln, on both sides
of the river Spree, in today's Mitte borough. Cölln first is mentioned in docu-
ments on 28 October 1237, Berlin in 1244. Unfortunately, the great town cen-
ter fire of 1830 damaged most written records of those early days.
79
The cities formed a trading union in 1307, and participated in the Hanse. Their
urban development took place in parallel for 400 years, until Cölln and Berlin
finally were unified under the name of Berlin in 1709, including the suburbs
Not much is left of these ancient communities, although some remainders can
be seen in the Nikolaiviertel near the Rotes Rathaus, and the Klosterkirche,
close to today's Alexanderplatz. The first City Palace was built on the embank-
ment of the river Spree in 1443 to 1451. At that time Berlin-Cölln numbered
ple in the city. During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), Berlin's population
During his government, Berlin reached 20,000 inhabitants and became signifi-
cant among the cities in Central Europe for the first time.
Prussia
In 18 January 1701, Frederick III was crowned King Frederick I in Prussia and
made Berlin the capital of the new kingdom of Prussia. In 1709, Berlin-Cölln
Although it was the residence of the Prussian kings, Berlin's population did not
expand greatly until the 19th century, mainly after becoming the capital of the
Republic and under the Nazis' Third Reich. During this period Adolf Hitler had
great plans to transform Berlin, because he thought that Berlin was one of the
ugliest cities in the world, and he hated it. (Berlin was, and still remains, a cen-
ter of left-wing political activity in Germany, and its residents largely opposed
the Nazis' rise to power.) Therefore, Hitler and his architect Albert Speer made
enormous plans for the new Berlin, the so-called Welthauptstadt Germania.
Reichstag, Speer planned to construct The Great Hall, 250 m high, seven times
higher than St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and with an enormous dome. It was
planned to be large enough to hold 170,000 people, and the sweat and heat
produced by those people were predicted to be able to generate clouds and rain
inside the dome. From The Great Hall, a southbound avenue was planned, the
Avenue of Victory, 23 m wide and 5.6 km long. At the other end there would
have been the new railway station, and next to it Tempelhof Airport.
83
Additionally, halfway down the avenue there would have been a huge arch 117
m high, so large that the Arc de Triomphe in Paris would fit inside. It was pro-
World War II. The project was to finish in 1950, and Berlin was to be re-named
ally thought the Allied airstrikes were very practical, mostly because it made
Today only a few structures bear witness to the large-scale plans of ‘Germania’.
on the East-West Axis on Kaiserdamm and Straße der 17 Juni are all that
authorities.
concerted Allied air raids and street fighting. The so called "Stunde Null" marked
a new beginning for the city. Greater Berlin was divided into four sectors by the
Allies under the London Protocol of 1944, one each for the following:
1. The United States, consisting of the Boroughs of Neukölln, Kreuzberg, Tempelhof,
and Spandau.
4. The Soviet Union, consisting of the Boroughs of Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, Pankow, Weißensee,
The Soviet victors of the Battle of Berlin immediately occupied all of Berlin.
Berlin) to the American and British Forces in July 1945: the French occupied
their sector a little later. The Soviets used the period from May 1945 to July
removing railway tracks, as reparations for German war damage in the Soviet
Union. This practice also continued in East Berlin and the Soviet occupation
dle of the Soviet Occupation Zone of Germany, made it a natural focal point in
the Cold War. Though the city was initially governed by a Four Power Allied
Control Council, with a leadership that rotated monthly, the Soviets withdrew
from the council as East-West relations deteriorated and began governing their 85
with the same rotating leadership policy, though now only involving France,
western Germany into a federal state; American refusal to grant the Soviets war
undertaken by the western powers without Soviet approval; the Soviets blocked
ground access to West Berlin on 26 June 1948. This became known as the
supply the western sectors of the city through the Berlin Airlift, known by the
an entire year, ending when the Soviets once again allowed ground access to
East Germany chose Berlin as its capital when the country was formed from the
Soviet occupation zone in October 1949; however, this was rejected by the
western allies, who continued to regard Berlin as an occupied city that was not
legally part of any German state. West Germany, formed on 23 May 1949 from
the American, British, and French zones, had its seat of government in Bonn,
although Berlin was symbolically named as the German capital in West German
Basic Law.
The Wall 86
Student Movement
In the 1960s, West Berlin became one of the centers of the German student
young radicals.
Reunification
The Berlin Wall was breached on 9 November 1989. By the
a unified Germany. Ministries and Government Offices moved back from Bonn
to Berlin in 1999.1
87
Berlin is one of the most interesting cities in the world today. Marketers world-
wide have been solicited since 1990 to help re-brand Berlin. The center of
Berlin today is the largest construction site in Europe. Contractors, laborers and
the like have come from all over the world to build a new capital for Germany,
one they hope will turn into a capital for all of Europe. This may seem like a
lofty goal, but Berlin has strong potential with the capacity to deliver.
Berlin Today
Berlin was once a city of beautiful architecture, culture, and grand design. Early
Even though Berlin does have a number of impressive buildings from earlier
centuries, the city's appearance today is mainly shaped by the key role it played
in Germany's history. No other city in the world offers Berlin's unusual mix of
architecture, especially 20th century architecture. The city's tense and unique 88
Today Berlin boasts three opera houses, a dozen theatres, world-class orches-
tras, grand museums and galleries featuring contemporary artists, three univer-
sities, a Love Parade, film festivals, and vast flea markets and exotic restaurants;
making it arguable one of the most exciting cities in Europe. Certainly it is the
Berlin is one of the few cities in the world taking a risk to market itself as a pro-
gressive, informative city with nothing to hide. Museums being built will edu-
cate the world about its most reviled citizens. Where most cities try to highlight
their accomplishments and sweep their mistakes under the carpet, Berlin has
American architect Peter Eisenman across from the German The Jewish Holocaust
Museum in Berlin
Bundestag – is due to be completed in 2005.3
Nazi crime as well; so there is also a Gestapo Museum in the future for Berlin.
talks about the Gestapo Museum plans, "Here we speak about the center of the
was destroyed."4
tural attractions including the Bodemuseum, the Altes Old and new mix in Berlin
considered one of the top five museums in the entire world by attendance,
which is significant, considering that The Louvre attracts eight million visitors
of the twentieth century, known as “The Bridge”. The Brucke Museum pays
tory and still remains part of its attraction today. Berlin was once a center of
establishment of its university in 1810, Berlin became the model for the mod-
90
NICKNAME
The story of Berlin is the story of its people, a people largely composed of suc-
strange. It has been said that no-one is born a Berliner, everyone has to become
one. The city does not have a distinctive nickname compared to cities such as
Paris , but instead has been identified more by the people that inhabit Berlin.
– branding itself with both its positive and negative qualities. Berlin is embrac-
ing its history, both good and bad. Planners have highlighted its accomplish-
ments from the past as well as documenting its war crimes and faults to inform
Intellectual discourse in Germany since the late 1960's rested largely on the
assumption that public knowledge about the Nazi past would prevent any
91
It is difficult to think of a city with more to overcome than Berlin, The Berlin
Wall still resonates as a structure that caused immense pain and suffering for
thousands of people over a span of nearly 30 years. Once the Wall was finally
constructed, the border separating the two factions of the city ran 166 km.
small parts of the wall remain standing, symbolizing the Modern Berlin
The Nazi crimes during World War II and the Berlin Wall are perhaps the most
significant branding problems that Berlin must overcome. But there is hope
begun to invest in her future economically. The challenge now posed to and by
Berlin is to develop a strong brand for itself. Its city planners, business leaders,
al brand identity. Part of this includes the frenzied remaking of the city since
1990. This has served the purpose of improving the city's location in the
throughout the era of the Cold War, post unification Berlin has been charged to
meanings. 8
92
Berlin's city planners today explore images of locality and history in order to
DEMOGRAPHICS
In the heady days that followed reunification, Edzard Reuter, then the CEO of
Daimler-Benz (and the son of Berlin’s most famous mayor), announced that the
city’s location at the eastern edge of the European Union would make it the
In the early 90's economists predicted a massive population increase. The city
economist Eberhard von Einem estimated that 60,000 people would arrive in
Berlin every year. The German government voted to move most of the federal
administration from Bonn to Berlin, which meant the direct transfer of tens of
thousands of government employees, plus attendant law firms, associations,
and political party offices. To get the attention of investors, the federal govern-
93
Since 1989, the unification of Germany, and the move of the capital from Bonn
to Berlin, the changes in the city have been breathtaking in their rapidity. Entire
the center of action has been re-oriented-quite literally; since it has moved from
Potsdamer Platz, an entire quarter built from scratch after 1995, is a marvel of
home to fashionable culture, with countless small clothing shops, clubs, bars
built in the 1860's in Moorish style with a large golden dome, was reconstruct-
several courtyards, nicely reconstructed after 1996. This area was a center of
Germans and artists continue to settle in the city. Berlin has established itself as
the premiere center of youth and pop culture in Europe. This is a positive when
leries. This city is host to the annual international art fair Art Forum. German
MTV moved its headquarters and main studios from Munich to Berlin.
Berlin also offers one of the most diverse and vibrant nightlife scenes in Europe.
Most Berliners take great pride in their city's reputation as one of the most
Since the fall of the wall and the reunification of Germany, Berlin has enjoyed a
tourist destination status once again. Residents and visitors alike enjoy the
especially since the city and its history possess physical reminders of past intol-
erance and oppression. Berlin has become a pleasant surprise to some travelers,
tion can assist or even supercede any sort of branding campaign Berlin might
attempt to create. Berlin’s promotion, however, still comes mainly from Europe
and Europeans rather than worldwide. Berlin seems to be well on the way to
regaining a positive city brand that people world-wide will choose to invest in
again.
What defines the city of the future? Some look at the reconstruction of Berlin
and see the heart of a new Europe. Others envision the hottest ticket in urban
theater. Then again, maybe what’s really going on here at the border of the 21st
95
Berlin still presents a conundrum for branding efforts. Can a city reposition
itself by building positive images on a negative past? Even the skeptics must
allow for a modicum of success on this new approach to branding. Since brands
connote permanence, they imply presence and signify cultural relevance. They
suggest the enduring, alluring power of persuasion. Yet all these preconceptions
are upended in this city. Permanence? In Berlin, even that which looks old was
object that no longer exists, The Berlin Wall. Cultural relevance? The most
crowded coffee house on the Unter den Linden is not the indigenous Cafe
The power of persuasion? Berlin knows that danger better than any other city
Berlin suggests caution as well. The cliche notwithstanding, change is not the
Berlin has stuggled to decide which direction to look in. Would it model itself
on the new cities of the world, with their disregard for history and their will-
and the whims of saavy developers? Or could Berlin pick up some thread of a
local identity, salvaged from its prewar past? This is hardly an innocent ques-
tion, since every gap in the cityscape of Berlin today is an expression of both the 96
city’s losses and its crimes. Capitalizing on history as a global mark of differen-
tiation and distinction, Berlin’s new city planners have refined ‘urbanity’ into an
rience.18
Can Berlin’s branding efforts today work by reenacting the past to create a viable
and urban space for the present? Berlin is writing a new chapter in city brand-
ing, in the way we think about a city's representation of itself. The culture of
memory and historical recollection are tied to a "New Berlin" which offers a
phoenix-like rise from the ashes of chaos and ruin to viable urban marketability,
2. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. Wolf, Gary. “Venture Kapital”. Wired Magazine. Issue 6.06. June 1998. April 29, 2004.
<http://www.wired.com/wiored/archive/6.06/berlin.html>.
10. Ibid.
<http://www.elibrary.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlinen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin%2C_
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid.
15. Rothenberg, Randall. “Berlin offers sobering lesson for ‘Brand America’ ambition.” Advertising Age,
16. Ibid.
18. Parkinson, Tom. “Seeking out the best of Berlin’s past and present.” Vancouver Sun. 4-23-05.
98
HISTORY
Charlotte was founded in the 1750’s at the intersection of two Indian trading
Charlotte was founded in the 1750’s at the intersection of two Indian trading
paths, otherwise known as the north-south Great Wagon Road, which is fol-
lowed closely today by U.S. Route 21. In the 18th century, the Great Wagon
Road led settlers of Scotch-Irish and German descent from Pennsylvania into
the Carolina foothills. The crossroads where the village of Charlotte Town was
founded is the heart of modern downtown Charlotte today; and the former
well as a new alliance with France marked a turning point in the war.
Cornwallis’s defeat at Yorktown led to an agreement for peace. The struggle for
Independence was won and a new nation forged ahead, charting new territories
Carolinians became wealthy, and much of the gold came from Mecklenburg
County. During this time, gold mined in Mecklenburg County had to travel
were bad and each dangerous trip took four months. Charlotteans asked
Congress for a North Carolina branch of the U.S. Mint, and one was built in
Charlotte. By 1836, more than 50 gold mines operated in North Carolina, and
more were in Mecklenburg than in any other county. In 1849, gold, discovered
one year earlier in California, enticed fortune seekers from all over to flock to the
western territory in a "gold rush." These hopeful prospectors were called "forty-
niners." This name still is used today for the University of North Carolina at
wealth, and no longer was North Carolina the only place to look for gold.
1861-1865: The American Civil War. When economic and social divisions
million in the North. The odds were against the South, as the
The North had more resources than the entire South. The
Civil war remains to this day the bloodiest and most violent in
America’s history, having destroyed many southern cities. Civil War Soldier
Charlotte was spared this fate, however, but more Americans died during this
time than in any other war that followed, and North Carolina lost more troops
than any other state in the Confederacy. A total of approximately 600,000 peo-
ruins. Desperate people lost all their possessions and resorted to looting from
stores; and slaves ran away from farms, leaving no one to plant and harvest crops.
of the cotton industry. Other major industries included the Lance Corporation,
102
World War I, The Roaring Twenties, The Great Depression, and World War II.
1950-1980: The sixties brought changes in southern society. The Civil Rights
Movement united Blacks and Whites seeking an end to segregation. Young peo-
ple across the country joined the Peace Movement to protest the United States
involvement in Southeast Asia. Women demanded equal rights and work for a
known as "Brooklyn," had been the heart of the city's black community since
the late 1800s and fell into decline. Civic leaders decided to demolish the entire
area, rather than spend the money in repairs. This plan, "urban renewal, com-
pletely destroyed Brooklyn, and most of the families, businesses, churches aand
financial centers in the country. This growth attracts new people. In addition,
professional sport teams and a desire for a strong cultural center bring a world
103
assembled from city, state and private land donations also includes the old
with flights to 146 cities. Half of the entire U.S. population can be reached with-
in a one-hour plane ride from the area. Businesses have more opportunities
Uptown is a late 20th century appelation for the original city, which
was divided into four political wards in the 19th century. The center
where the NBA Bobcats will play. The Charlotte campus of Johnson &
branch of the Mint Museum of Art are also located here. 104
Myers Park is one of the city's most prestigious addresses, an area with
some of the city’s oldest large houses and streets lined with towering
area, attempting to bring more culture and diversity into the city.
Charlotte has been home to the NFL's Carolina Panthers since 1996.
Charlotte has also been home to two Arena Football League teams, the
from 1988 until 2002, when the troubled franchise relocated to New
Auto racing
Charlotte is the de facto hub of stock car racing, with 106
Nascar race cars line up including the late Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty. 3
for a race start, Lowes
Motor Speedway.
BRANDING EFFORTS
In 1901, A group of real estate developers formed a bank called the Southern
States Trust, with George Stephens as its President. Through joining or merging
with other financial institutions, the bank’s name changed several times. It
became the American Trust Company, American Commercial Bank, and North 107
Nationsbank.
largely under the leadership of financier Hugh McColl. McColl and other
city planners had a vision, and by obtaining support and cooperation from
city government, they set out to create a new city and a brand that would
establish Charlotte as a serious leader not only in the south but interna-
tionally as well. His first goal was in finance, and he did this by transform-
ing North Carolina National Bank (NCNB) into a formidable national play-
now Wachovia. Nearly all of the high-rise towers in the city today are
city for all its citizens. This will be achieved through qual-
City Council directed the staff of the city's economic development office to
108
small-business owners and focus groups, the city identified several forces
designed to increase the city's competitiveness for jobs and investment, grow
the city's tax base and increase wealth. The framework identifies the following
five focus areas, and key city action items, which are proposed to be implement-
Work-force development
foresight and progress in this and offers a unique brand because these
This plan anticipates the following: bring in new business, retain exist-
future work force and provide opportunities for small-business own- 109
perous, livable city, with a bright economic future for all its citizens. 5
Advertising has been used. Center City Partners as well as the Office
date, the business and economic environment has done an admirable job
DEMOGRAPHICS
Cabarrus, Union, Rowan, and Stanley in North Carolina and crosses the state-
line into South Carolina with York County. The population of the metropolitan
One airport; two major railway lines; one bus line; 605 trucking firms, 12 TV sta-
tions, 28 radio stations, 10 hospitals and two Medical Centers, nine Universities,
Magazine rated Charlotte in the early 1990’s as ‘no 1. in the country’ 110
for its pro-business attitude and has raised its profile from ‘one of the
hottest cities in the south’ to ‘one of the most admired cities in the
Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, Austin, Chicago, and New York. Charlotte
Charlotte is also a magnet for artists. The region is No. 1 in the coun-
try for in per-capita giving to the arts and sciences, and also number 1
ize that in order to have a successful city as well as a region, you need
All of the attractions of living in the center of a city such as New York,
has embraced this notion of ‘urban living’, and just 15 years ago, the
Uptown area (which refers to ‘downtown’ in other cities) was more like a
is the second largest banking center in the country after New York City.
D.C. and Dallas, TX and is the number one travel destination in the Carolinas. 112
drive to the beaches of the Carolinas; or to the west, the scenic mountains.
unique qualities it possesses. Every city, no matter how small, has some
crowd’, partly because many of its current residents come from New
conscious effort to position itself as a major financial center in the east. 113
opment that kicked into particularly high gear during the mid-20th
website.
<http://www.elibrary.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotteen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte%2C_ E-Library.
3. Ibid.
114
6.Ibid.
8.Claiborne, Jack. “Profile: Charlotte. Nurtured by a decade of rapid growth, the Queen City
blooms into a Major Metro.” US Airways Attache Magazine, May 2003. p. 64-118.
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
This is a fairly new term that is being thrown around quite a bit by city
regards to city branding. The economic need for creativity has regis-
tered itself in the rise of a new class, which is now known as ‘The
Creative Class’.
called “The Rise of the Creative Class.” What this book and many other sources
have written about since it was published is the ‘idea’ worker.
and related fields. This group engages in complex problem solving that involves
a great deal of independent judgment and requires high levels of education and
human capital. 2
creativity, individuality, difference, and merit. For the members of the Creative
The difference between the Creative Class and the other classes, referred to as
the Working Class or Service Class, is that the latter are paid to execute accord-
ing to plan, while the Creative Class are primarily paid to create, to ‘think’ for
a living, and have more flexibility than the other classes do.4
Cities have been affected by the decline of the Working Class for years now. In
the past century, we have gone from an industrial oriented society worldwide to 116
choose to live.
cities’. This took much away from the main cities that were
its economic role has become crucial in the past few decades. The norms of the
creative class are setting ‘new norms’ for everyone else, but they are different
than the ‘IBM-conformity’ professionals of the past known as “the blue suits.”
The new norm is more about individuality than conformity, and openness to
especially American cities. There was a general consensus that cities were dying,
and would not turnaround because of their ‘dinosaur’ status as leftover places
that were thriving only because of the industrial age. In spite of this complete
View of the The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco from Sausalito
This is in large part due to the attitudes of the Creative Class. The old formula
was that companies moved to cities, then attracted people to live there. This
isn’t working anymore. If the only attraction to the city is just a job, people may
city. The Creative Class is changing this by moving to cities that not only offer
Memphis, Tennessee of young men and women in their 20’s and 30’s, are try-
ing to help Memphis lure people like them. Anna McQuiston, 33, a Marketing
Director for a local real estate developer states “It’s turning the formula around.
You create an attractive place for people to live, then the corporations will come
after them.”5 Globalization has created new competition for cities as well. We
now have the opportunity to do business anywhere in the world because of the
digital age and the Internet, so the competition is fierce among cities to attract
the Creative Class since city and lifestyle options are larger and more diverse
OUTSOURCING
The danger that U.S. and cities worldwide are encountering is not just a decline
encroaching more directly and successfully on what has been, for almost two
members of the other two classes, this alone would create an economic advan-
America has developed new technologies and ideas that spawn new industries and
modernize old ones, from the Internet to big-box stores to innovative product
designs. These have proven to be the principal force behind the US. economy’s cre-
ation of more than 20 million jobs in the creative sector during the 1990s, even as 119
Competition for people’s lifestyles has become fierce, and cities worldwide are
now vying for The Creative Class. Talented, educated immigrants and smart,
ambitious young Americans congregated during the 1980s and 1990s, in and
around a dozen U.S. city-regions. These areas became hot areas of innovation, the
designers, engineers, financiers, marketers, and entrepreneurs fed off each other’s
knowledge, energy, and capital to make new products, new services, and whole
new industries. 10 America enjoyed this class in the 1980’s and ‘90s, but now the
following are being outsourced:
Moving to Sydney.
Moving to Finland.
Moving to Hamburg
Biotechnology in Boston.
Seattle, and Austin. They’re doing it through a variety of means: from govern-
try. Most of all, they’re luring foreign creative talent, including U.S talent. The
result is that the sort of high-end, high-margin creative industries that used to
be the Americas’ province and a crucial source of prosperity have begun to move
overseas.12 Although America is feeling the effects of this presently, other coun-
tries are also at risk of outsourcing as well.
Richard Florida) realize it’s not just with the Creative Class that we will revital-
ize our cities. We need to reduce crime, improve transportation, provide good 121
quality education and public safety. But these are obvious issues. The non-obvi-
ous Creative Class is much like a strong brand’s added value. The crime, trans-
portation, education, and public safety are the functional properties, while the
DISSIDENT VOICES
Just as there are supporters of the theory of The Creative Class, there are also crit-
that cities should recruit workers rather than companies, but observes that ‘creat-
ing a good punk rock scene or Thai takeout restaurants is beyond the city char-
ter’. He adds that the biggest problem is that politicians might hesitate to set up
amusements for ‘26 year olds with advanced degrees’ rather than concentrating
who are far more concenred with good schools, low crime, and adequate serv-
ices than they are with a diverse or unique cultural scene. But Florida states that
his work has been misinterpreted, and that regions need suburbs and artsy
enclaves to succeed. As cities face budget crises, this model and notion of the
Florida’s follow up book ‘The Flight of the Creative Class: The New Global
Competition for Talent’, was recently cited in BusinessWeek (May 16, 2005) in an
article by Aaron Bernstein. In a nutshell, Bernstein did not feel that the out-
sourcing of The Creative Class to other countries was enough to drive entire
economies, (such as Florida states) because the ‘idea workers’ do not compete 122
in a head-on global talent pool that is large, but rather extremely limited.
Therefore, his conclusion, contrary to Florida’s, is that this could not drive an
entire economy. Still, he does agree with Florida in his main point: “For the U.S.
skilled workforce.”14
No matter how much of an impact one may believe The Creative Class has on
cities, numerous Planners and Municipalities have hired Florida to help them
with their branding efforts. This seems to indicate that ‘idea workers’ still play an
important part in the city branding puzzle, and the reality is that if cities want to
survive they may have to accept this. This may require not only going back to
the drawing board, but erasing antiquated theories about city branding and real-
Well branded cities like New York and Paris are thriving because of their diver-
sity, yet City Planners and Developers fail to recognize that their success is
diversity was allowed to thrive, we ended up with places like SoHo in New
York, Chinatown in San Francisco, The Jewish Quarter in Paris, Little Italy in
New York, and The French Quarter in New Orleans. This was in part by acci-
dent, due to the fact that ‘outsiders’ were not welcome in certain cities initial-
ly, so they created their own cultural ‘sub-cities’ to live and work in. In this way,
many centers of “urban cool” evolved based on the diversity that lived there. 123
This occured without the restrictions of city planning; simply because the cities
May 2, 2003, selected ‘The Creative 100’. This consisted of creative profes-
sionals that had been nominated to represent all of North America including
In order to move ahead, City Planners need to demand that developers create
unique spaces and refuse to approve plans that possess too much conformity.
Conformity is often mistaken for progress and may look good on paper, but it’s
choking diversity, creativity, and culture... some of the main reasons people move
to cities in the first place. In this way, The Creative Class is a powerful force
behind a city that branders (who are also part of this class) can no longer afford
to ignore.
124
As Richard Florida states in the last chapter of The Rise of the Creative Class:
1. Florida, Richard. “The Rise of the Creative Class” Basic Books. (Member of the Perseus
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Leland, John. “On a Hunt for Ways to Put Sex in the City”. December 11, 2003.
<http://smartcityradio.blogspot.com.
6. Florida, Richard. “Creative Class War. How the GOP’s anti-elitism could ruin America’s
economy”. Washington Monthly. Volume 36. Number 1/2 ISSN:00430633. 01-01-2004 p.30.
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
November 9,2003. p. 5.
125
10. Ibid.
11. INURA International Conference “Creative City” June 2004. June 13-20, Amsterdam.
6/2/04 <http://www.inura.org/amsterdam/creative/htm>.
12. Haya El Nasser “Cities’ Mantra: Attract the Young and Employers Will Follow.” USA
13. Ibid.
14. Bernstein, Aaron. “Talent. Will America Lose Out”? BusinessWeek. May 16, 2005. p.16
Traditionally, the term “Marketing” has been a term applied to the craft of link-
ing the producers of a product or a service with customers, both existing and
potential. However, in popular useage the term refers to the promotion of prod-
ucts, especially advertising and branding. In professional useage the term refers
The traditional ‘Marketing Mix’, otherwise known as ‘The four P’s’, consists of
Price, Promotion, Product and Placement. Not only do cities focus on the
126
lage government.”2 Cities across the United States are striking deals with cor-
become a trend in order to balance budgets. The deals range from million dol-
lar contracts to crowning one soft drink the “city’s” official beverage, to putting
expect more from government, but they don’t want property or sales taxes to
Joe Perello, New York City’s first Chief Marketing Officer, doesn’t want to sell
your company naming rights to the Brooklyn Bridge, and won’t re-brand City
Hall to Circuit City Hall. He does, however, want to sell New York like the 127
ing, and merchandising. This will go a long way to determine whether or not
city’s public schools providing the city with 106 million in cash and a
schools and additional drinks in 6,000 buildings. This led to much criticism,
which led some to ponder … Was the Big Apple selling out to the Big
Snapple? 6
of pumping money into the city and its advertising. If this does not succeed,
however, this may be seen as a failure and New York risks being criticized
The concept of Municipal Marketing has been tried sporadically across the U.S.,
but mostly in smaller locations. San Diego, for instance, has deals with Pepsi-
Cola, Verizon, GM and even with a firm called Cardiac Sciences which provides
free difibrillators in many city locations. While New York could sell sponsor-
ships strictly on intangible assets, the city has an impressive collection of ‘media’
to offer potential marketers that includes city light poles, bus shelters, and the
128
Finding new revenue for the city isn’t Perello’s only goal, though and this is some
food for thought when marketing any city. For example, under its pending con-
tract, Snapple must spend $12 million dollars per year to promote New York
outside of the city. City Marketing Directors everywhere are realizing that if they
can get even 10% of what New York did with Snapple, they stand to look good
in their own cities for balancing municipal budgets and keeping taxes low.
The irony is that cities throughout the nation are struggling to maintain aging
that the same budget constraints that prevent infrastructure improvements are
industries. Statistics show that event sponsorships generate more than $3.7 bil-
lion annually for the sponsors, while corresponding marketing programs repre-
sent an additional $10 billion.9 These types of statistics are staggering when you
consider the amount of money that could get cities out of debt.
Wolff Olins, a world-renowned design firm known for branding, has been
retained to design a core brand identity and logos for a subsequent licensing ini-
tiative for New York. Although they have done similar assignments for London,
Germany and Portugal, they claim that New York is their biggest challenge yet.
People tend to be on both sides of the issue. Some think that branding New
York is a great thing, others wonder if the marketers really know what they’re
doing. “We want people to understand that New York City is more than just
The trend towards Municipal Marketing and selling your city could change the
way cities do their advertising, marketing, and planning. Critics could argue
that selling a city to the highest bidder constitutes unfair competition for com-
sites available in any given city, however, distribution should be spread out
evenly, much like entertainment sponsorships are.
These and other potential branding sites for New York are one way to brand
If Municipal Marketing catches on, there will be plenty of court battles. All kinds
orously. 13
“However, pure geographic descriptors cannot serve as trademarks”,
Instead what we’ll probably see is more municipalities create distinctive logos
that are more marketable and can be defended as copywritten material. Deputy
CMO Jeff Sofka from Wolff Olins states “We can’t protect [the words] New York
City, but we can protect our version of it: trademarks, fonts, colors and imagery
imagery and landmarks, so whatever New York gives their sponsors will have to
be more than a typical property in order to have a monopoly on the rights, like
helping to brand a city, but in some cases it could be the city's last hope of bal-
2. Ibid.
3. Copeland, Larry. “Cities in Need Selling Themselves. For Sale. Your City.” USA Today
6/9/2003 B2
4.Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. Johnson, Mark. “Sponsorships offer image, budget boosts (how event marketing can help
municipalities develop needed sources of revenue for infrastructre development). American City
and County. 09/01/1994 p.12
132
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. Stohr, Kate. “I Sell New York”. The Gotham Gazette. March 17, 2003.
4/6/04.<http:www/gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20030315/200/312>.
14. Ibid.
15. Ibid.
16. Ibid.
There are five main points we have learned about City Branding.
Devising a focused strategy in order to figure out the best course of action
The first is to identify the strengths and weaknesses regarding successful cities
change, progress, and diversity were embraced. All of the positive attributes of
the city were important focal points for the people. A good relationship
between municipal government and the residents of the city also existed in
the cities that were successful. Since each city resident is a walking-talking
advertisement, support from residents and belief in the city brand were attrib-
These cities branded themselves in ways their residents found believable, and
in doing so, the brand was reinforced as truthful. This reinforcement came in
Conclusion
many forms such as word-of-mouth, political climate perception, advertising,
early public relations, and graphic design. As their positive attributes were
These cities also had functionality and added value, much like strong brands.
The original qualities they possessed were based on the function of their geo-
graphic location for trade, industry, employment, and economy. But their
there was more to the city than just employment, more to attract people that
These cities had cooperation between the residents and municipal govern- 134
ment, and moved forward with common goals to initiate growth, develop-
ment, and success for the city. They embraced all of their history – what they
were in the past, are now, and will ultimately become. While they honored
their past, they still managed to merge it with future goals in order to adjust
to globalization.
Cities that adapted not only to changing economic conditions, but also to
political climate and other factors, were survivors. They embraced new politi-
find common ground with people. They did not seek one type of resident nor
did they expect one type of business or industry to sustain them. By adapting
to and embracing diverse cultures, people, and ideas; they evolved into a
Conclusion
These cities also possessed a definite identity and a projected city brand that
was consistently portrayed. They are highly distinctive, and there is no room
for interpretation. They know who they are. There is no confusion about the
brand or what the city stands for, and there is something about the city that is
not available anywhere else. This is a clear message, one that is very specific
about what the city brand is and what kinds of added value and attractions
the city possesses. This is not only perceived value, but also real value. These
cities will continue to be successful as brands, since they are open to evolve-
The cities that were struggling or possessed negative brand images had a com-
mon trait – consistent brand confusion. This was a mixture of either negative 135
brand images from the past, which the city was attempting to replace by
doing promotional ‘good’ or there was no city brand at all. The attempt, how-
ever, at good advertising and public relations without a good ‘product’ to back
efforts of the city were not enough to convince the public of a viable brand.
The essence of the real brand was unknown and could not be embraced in
order to be promoted.
There was also a lack of common goals between the residents of the city and
There was a lack of foresight. In some instances, the cities relied on one or
two traditional industries to keep them alive. When these industries were
Conclusion
compromised and forced to cut back jobs, cutting back on economic growth
one. The cities also lacked diversity in the economy and did not seem to
There was also weak inward investment in the city. The lack of foresight to
create a place of attraction not only for businesses but also for public spaces
and cultural venues was not widely accepted or appreciated. Since there was
no investment in these venues, when the businesses moved out of the metro
areas, nothing was left but a ghost town. These cities made the mistake of
counting on the business community alone to sustain their inner metro areas.
This is evidenced by the Midtown Plaza example in the Rochester, New York
chapter. In contrast, successfully branded cities had diverse inner metro areas 136
that consisted not only of businesses; but restaurants, theatre, public parks,
business moving out of the area or cutting down a workforce was minimal.
While tourism can work as a good source of economy for places such as Paris
and San Francisco, it is not as viable of an option for places such as Rochester
and Berlin. In Berlin’s case, the Berlin Wall was a source of disparity for the
city brand, symbolic of all that was evil and of the severity of human oppres-
sion. The negative images of the Nazi political party, which was headquartered
in Berlin during the reign of the Third Reich and World War II; was also seen
Conclusion
The good news for these cities, however, is that they have learned from their
mistakes and are attempting to rectify these in order to avoid making the
cities. What this refers to is transient lifestyle of company officers and presi-
dents and the corporations they run. One day a company is a large economic
employer in one city whose CEO is a big advocate of that city. The next day,
the company is sold; or a new CEO is brought on board that decides to move
the entire operation to a new city. This often leaves the old or original city in
economic ruins with no jobs to replace the ones that were lost. If there is not
only a good business climate, but also a good lifestyle in a city that says ‘qual-
ity of place’, then there is a better chance companies will stay in the city long- 137
term.
The final weakness of these cities was that they lacked distinction. Since their
brand itself was confusing, people could not identify with any specific brand.
was no such relationship with these cities. Therefore, these cities were not
memorable.
Conclusion
Concentrated Facts
The second thing cities can do is to acquire and disseminate concentrated facts
and find out as much information as possible. This information should be con-
Population
Industry
Tax Base
Attractions
Inward Investment
Tourism
Residents
Business Climate
138
People’s Perception of the City
Economic Trends
the city. The city needs to have a focused strategy and cooperation between
McColl’s vision for Charlotte, North Carolina. He had a common goal of creat-
Conclusion
succeeded by obtaining cooperation between business, city council, residents,
southeast that was second only to New York City. Many critics thought
Charlotte was not the place to create this center, but because of the can-do
attitude of the business community, Charlotte is now one of the largest finan-
cial centers in the country. This status has brought much more to the city
the U.S. Census, more than 500,000 in the past 10 years. This is quite far
beyond anything most people imagined for an unknown city like Charlotte.
To keep our cities from dying, we must create a place where people will want 139
to live, not just work – a place of interest. Cities need to keep their focus on
what their perceived brand is in regards to the outside world. If they are not
satisfied with their image, then they need to make inward changes that will
alter not only their image, but who they really are. The greatest branding cam-
paign in the world still needs a good product (in this case a good city) to back
it up, or eventually the brand becomes false. This is true of anything that
attempts to be something it is not. The brand MUST deliver. Any changes that
are made within the city must have the support of the majority of the resi-
dents. Despite this digital age of technology and globalization, people and
word-of-mouth are still the best vehicle that can be used to promote any kind
Conclusion
Cities also must work on turning negatives into positives. As evidenced by the
Berlin chapter, the Berlin Wall was a symbol of oppression. But it also became
a symbol of hope and freedom when people rebelled against what it stood for
and tore it down in 1989; while the rest of the world watched. Few images
since then can come close to portraying such historical change, one that will
always be associated with the city of Berlin. Cities need to remember that
even past ‘black marks’ or mistakes can sometimes work to future advantages.
If we want our cities to succeed, we also need to work on keeping the jobs in
our cities safe and not just outsource overseas. This can be done through a
sourcing may save money short term, the long-term economic effects can 140
result in cities becoming proverbial ghost towns and eventually this translates
The public face of communications for a city can be promoted in many ways.
cases it can include advertising, the public face is much more than just a
While some of these images, like symbols or nicknames for example, may not
Conclusion
seem important in relation to the public face of communications, you contin-
ue to see examples everyday. Take the symbol of the Big Apple for New York,
the City by the Bay for San Francisco, or the City of Lights for Paris. These
gives people a positive pre-conceived notion about these cities. This can work
both ways, however, similar to the nickname ‘Rust Belt’ in the Rochester chap-
ter, which creates visuals of worn out, old images that are too far-gone to be
fixed and left to ‘rust’. The support of local and government officials in any
city also puts a face on public communications, and this is evident in whether
or not these elected officials have the support of their residents. When this is
The most significant aspect to the public face of communications in regards to 141
any city is that the brand delivers and is consistent and cohesive.
The city has to offer the things it claims to; otherwise, like any brand – it is
doomed to failure.
Conclusion
APPENDIX A.
Appendix A.
Berkeley of the present may not be so counter culture any more). The
Haight in SF is much the same. Neither have particularly interesting sky-
lines but both offer places full of memories. Skylines, waterfronts, interest-
ing districts all serve as elements to create a backdrop against and for some
places this can be enough to jump start a brand but not all. Baltimore has
a great water front, a great history, but a not so good tourist trade at the
moment. Baltimore cannot compete well against Philly or Boston and they
all three have a lot in common. It seems to me that you need both a phys-
ical place of interest and a cultural landscape of interest that involves a
unique history (a memory) and a present spirit (current lifestyle) in order
to be a successful city or to build a successful brand.
4. Why?
Each of these cities has both interesting physical places, unique historic and
cultural dimensions, and a present set of circumstances that continues build
upon and contribute to the overall "brand".
5. I know you did extensive research on Las Vegas for your doctorate and
lived there as well. How would you use that as a case study vs. some
place like Paris in reference to branding and trying to attract people to
move there?
I would use LV as a case study as opposed to Paris for this reason: LV rep-
resents a new city with very little history (by comparison to Paris), with
little industrial legacy, and will little indigenous population (even the
Native Americans did not live in the area extensively). Vegas is new and
Appendix A.
therefore cannot rely upon a legacy of cultural history or architecture to
lure in tourists and/or residents. Paris has it easy in this sense. Vegas has
to work at bringing in folks and it has done so very well--LV has been for
some time now the fastest growing city and region in the US in part due
to its draw both as a tourist destination and as a place whose brand speaks
to a good quality of life. I would use LV as a comparison to older and more
established cities--I would use LV as a case study in a new city (a post-
industrial city) that has to contend with the global forces shaping most
cities in ways that are unique.
Appendix A.
simple pragmatic elements. This is essentially what has been called
an experience economy or the information age. The post industrial
economy, in other words, and all cities will need to develop a strong
crop of idea workers and idea producers if they are to succeed in
the contemporary economy. We do have to be careful to remember
that not all places can or should compete at the same level and
cities should have diverse economies and populations in order to
best serve their citizenship. The problem with Florida's book is that
he characterizes idea workers as possibly too central a demograph-
ic. This group is often characterized by young, single professionals
who have the time and money to get out and activate a city.
However, immigrant communities, for example, are often as vital
(he mentions this as well but it does not get the same attention) and
as vibrant as the trendy spots but not as pleasing to the bureaucrat-
ic eye.
146
8. Do you feel that a city can turn around a negative image by re-
branding?
Appendix A.